Abstract: Cutting apparatus (15) for cutting-out stacks of sheet material such as fabric has a guide (55) for a reciprocating cutter (16), driven by a drive mechanism (18) arranged in a housing (19). The housing (19) is mounted on a carrier (8) extending above a cutting-out table (2). The cutter (16) is driven from an eccentric (38) arranged on a rotary member (36). A counterweight (41) is driven from a second eccentric (39) with an eccentricity (e) which is oppositely directed to the eccentricity (e) of the first eccentric (38) driving the cutter (16), to compensate for inertial forces generated by the mass of the cutter (16). The cutting apparatus (15) is free of turning moments acting substantially in a plane lying in the axis (36) of therotary member (32), by arranging the eccentrics (38, 39) in a turning plane (E.sub.1) on the two rotary members (32, 33), the members (32, 33) lying one behind the other with respect to the cutting direction (34) of the cutter (16) and rotating at the same speed as each other.

Abstract: Bolts (10, 13) of material such as fabric, supported in open-topped bearing elements (6, 14) are exchanged by apparatus comprising a carrier (24). The carrier (24) has closable openings for engagement with spindle ends (8) projecting from the bolts (10, 13). When the carrier (24) has engaged the bolts (10, 13), it is raised (arrow 28), rotated about 180.degree. (arrow 26) and lowered (arrow 28), so changing over the positions of the bolts (10, 13). For example, operations performed on a table (1) on material taken from one bolt (10) may be completed, so that bolt (10) is replaced by a further bolt (13) taken from a magazine (12), the first bolt (10) simultaneously taking the place of the second bolt (13) in the magazine.